National Briefing | Midwest: Minnesota: Some State Offices Would Stay Open During Shutdown

A county judge ordered the state to keep essential services operating if lawmakers failed to pass a budget before Sunday, the start of a new fiscal year. The order by the judge, Lawrence Cohen of Ramsey County District Court, was requested by the state attorney general. Gov. Jesse Ventura ensured that parks would remain open when he said he would sign an environmental and agriculture spending bill.